Pickleball Magazine 1-2 | Page 51

moose, turkey, and bald eagles, to name a few. Six outdoor pickleball courts were built last year, and there is an active group of StoneRidge players enjoying our wonderful sport in beautiful surroundings. While staying at StoneRidge, one can easily walk or bike to the pickleball courts or the golf course. There are properties for sale and rent, including singlefamily homes, golf condos, cabins and townhomes, and a terrific Motor Coach Village (Class A RVs of 31 feet and longer). The Motor Coach Village has its own pool and spa, with a lovely clubhouse containing a full kitchen, living room, laundry and bathrooms for use by owners and renters. The Motor Coach Village also has the best dog park we’ve ever seen. The sites are spacious, and the grass is manicured by the golf course maintenance staff. StoneRidge also boasts miles of walking trails, tennis, an Activity Center with indoor pool, and a restaurant right next to the Golf Pro Shop. The residents are extremely friendly, and there are social gatherings for every interest. Quite a few StoneRidge owners own and show classic automobiles throughout the summer, for example. The highlight of the summer season is the terrific Fourth of July celebration, including patriotic tributes, a golf cart parade, golf tournament, and a BBQ dinner, ending with a professional fireworks display. During the season, there are also free concerts on the 19th hole of the golf course, which turns into an outdoor dance hall and party. The local area features outstanding world-class biking, a new zip-line adventure, lots of interesting shopping and dining, plus the nearby historical mining towns of Kellogg and Wallace. How’s the weather? Awesome. Warm days, cool nights, and low humidity combine to provide an ideal environment. How’s the pickleball? Almost too good to be true. Because of long summer days, one can easily play golf in the morning and pickleball after dinner, as the daylight stretches out to nearly 9 p.m. Or swap around and play pickleball in the morning and golf later on. We think StoneRidge is truly one of the most unique and best pickleball/golf communities in the country. Check out the “Pickleball” section of the website www.stoneridgeidaho.com. Fly into Spokane, WA (about 40 minutes away) or drive your RV to this hidden gem in northern Idaho—truly a one-of-a-kind pickleball experience.  • Alan and Diane Neff have been full-time RV’ers for almost 12 years and ardent pickleball players for five years. They have traveled to 48 states and to Canada many times. As an ambassador, Alan has promoted pickleball court construction and new player growth and written several published articles about pickleball. MARCH 2016 | MAGAZINE 49